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Sudan says signing ceremony of governance agreement next Thursday, Juba confirms

Signing ceremony of the Security Arrangements agreement in Khartoum on 6 July 2018 (Photo Suna)
Signing ceremony of the Security Arrangements agreement in Khartoum on 6 July 2018 (Photo Suna)

July 22, 2018 (KHARTOUM/JUBA) – Sudan’s foreign ministry Sunday announced that the signing ceremony for the agreement on the outstanding issue of governance chapter will take place in Khartoum next Thursday.

Also, the South Sudanese government negotiating delegation said they agreed with the mediators on all the pending issues except one but hope to conclude the deal before the end of the week.

Last week, the mediation postponed the initialling ceremony which had to be held on 17 July because the government and opposition delegations expressed observations and concerns on the draft agreement. Following, the government delegation dispatched a delegation for consultations in Juba.

The semi-official Sudanese Media Service (SMC) on Sunday disclosed that the foreign ministry extended the invitations to the IGAD heads of state and governments to the signing ceremony on 26 July.

Sudan’s Foreign Minister El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed further told the SMC that the chances of success for the talks are sufficient to believe that things are moving forward and expressed hope to accomplish the remaining tasks in the most complete manner.

The mediation had to bring the parties to a compromise over the responsibility sharing ratio in the executive and the states, the size and composition of the legislature and the number of states and Independent Boundary Commission.

The South Sudanese information minister and government spokesperson, for his part, confirmed on Sunday that an agreement would be signed on 26 July as proposed by the mediators.

In statements to the official South Sudan TV, Michael Makuei said they sat with the mediation and agreed on all the outstanding issues except one item on the power-sharing in the states. but he didn’t elaborate further.

” It is worth mentioning that all the other issues that were agreed are pending the approval of the opposition,” he added.

Makuei said discussions continue with the mediation in order to resolve the pending issue “either today or tomorrow”.

“So with that, we will definitely sign peace. Our message to our people that yes peace is coming and we will sign it before or on the 26 July as stated by the mediators,” he emphasized.

Earlier this week, the government negotiators rejected the power-sharing ratio proposed by the mediation and refused to include the local governments in the ongoing revitalization negotiations pointing out that it is not part of the 2015 peace agreement.

(ST)

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